Russia

Russia (Russian Federation)
is a huge country, stretching from St. Petersburg in the west to Vladivostok
in east, north to the Arctic Circle and south to the Black Sea. Its long
history, spanning over a thousand years, starts with the Vikings who founded
Kiev, through the conquest by the Mongols, to the creation of the Russian
nation, united by Ivan the Terrible, the "Tsar of all the Russia's."
For three hundred years the Romanov's ruled Russia, ending with the Russian
Revolution and creation of the Communist state. Wherever you travel with
your kids in Russia today, there's history on a grand scale.

In this classic Russian folktale, the Tsar sends his sons to search
for the mythical firebird. The youngest son finds the firebird in
a golden cage, goes on to capture the horse with the golden mane,
rescue Yelena the Beautiful and fight evil Koshchei the Immortal.
Gorgeously illustrated. (Picture book)

Charming
retelling of Peter and the wolf, the musical fairy tale. A wolf
leaps out of the deep dark woods, trapping the bird, the duck and
the cat, but Peter has a plan to trap the wolf. Fully narrated CD,
eye-catching illustrations and fun for all ages. (Picture book and
Audio CD)

Each
book is the continuing story of a St. Petersburg family  Katya,
a wealthy young woman at the onset of the Russian Revolution (Angel
on the Square), her children Georgi and Marya in the Siberian
wilderness (The Impossible Journey), and the family in 1941 during
the siege of Leningrad (Burying the Sun). An excellent series that brings to life a century
of change in Russia. (Chapter books)

Story
of a kinder, gentler Baba Yaga, who becomes an adopted grandmother
and saves a little boy from the wolves. Brightly colored illustrations,
like Russian folk art. Also fun is Rechenka's
Eggs. (Picture book)

Vasilisa
is sent by her crummy stepmother to fetch a light from the fearsome
witch, Baba Yaga, who lives in the forest in a house surrounded
by clattering bones. Richly illustrated with deep colors and marvelous
detail. (Picture book)

A
magic spell has turned the young Tsarevitch to ice, and the kingdom
to permanent winter. Katya has a magic nesting doll (matryoshka)
with a bear, a wolf, and a firebird inside; she uses her matryoshka and love to break the spell. (Picture book)

Reign of terror of Ivan the Terrible, empire builder. At 16 Ivan was crowned "Tsar of all the Russias," then went on to ruthlessly kill his enemies, enslave the serfs, and destroy whole cities. Good for older kids. (Chapter book)

Fictional
diary of Anatasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, as
she goes from a princess living in the ornate palaces of Tsarskoe
Selo (Pushkin) and St. Petersburg, to house arrest with her family
in Siberia. (Chapter book)

Based on true events, a novel of Grand Duchess Anastasia, helping out in Russian hospitals during World War I, captive in the family palace after her father abdicates as czar, and then sent to Siberia. In this turbulent time, was there a young solider, Sasha, whom she grew to love? Good for older kids. (Chaper book)

Vivid
novel of the last days of the Romanovs in Siberia, an edge-of-your-seat
story of a teenage boy who was there, the night the czar's family
was executed. Seamlessly interweaves historical fact and fiction
into a fascinating read for teenagers. (Chapter book)

Delightful
mixed bag of stuff about Russia  tasty caviar is salted
fish eggs, chess is always popular (even 1,800 years ago), the
Russians launched the first space station in 1971, the oldest
skis in the world come from Russia. (Picture book)